I've never had Inara's done and never plan on doing so, but I know some people who have it done religiously. Is it genetics that determines whether they can express on their own? Diet? What is it and do you express?

Discuss!

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

I think its a combo. More recently Oscar has expressed his own and had one abscess, vet said old age and allergies combined.I asked about expressing and he said if I did regularly then he wouldn't be able to do it on his own.

Something makes me think soft poop makes in harder for them to properly express them on their own, can't remember where I heard that from.

Some people actually get them removed surgically because they cause their dogs so many issues.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I have never done my dog's anal glands...I figure if they were living in the wild, no one would be stopping to squeeze their bums. Nah...I've never had an issue except for my old basset hound who liked to express hers while sleeping under the covers with me...<3 loved that! She'd also do it in the car during long road trips.

I know a lot of dogs get them done regularly by the groomer too...it just seems to be a service some offer.

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

River used to act so miserable and uncomfortable until we would have them done; but now if I see one of them scooting, I add a little wheat bran sprinkled on their food for a couple of days-- that bulks things up enough to help express them naturally.

I can't imagine that they enjoy having them done, no matter how much better it makes them feel. :\

"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

Don't start doing it unless he dog scoots. It's actually the anal sacs (not the glands themselves) that get full - they just store the liquid produced by the glands.

The sacs are at 4 and 8 o'clock in the anus, and they usually get squeezed easily when the stools are a good consistency and the contents are liquid enough. If the stools are soft or the contents thick/grainy then they can impact and the glands need to be emptied.

My sister's beagle had numerous anal gland abscesses that bursted, she thought of having the glands removed cause they were so problematic but there is a big risk for fecal incontinence afterwards, and with metamucil in her food daily things got better...

Also groomers tend to do it from the outside (squeezing the area where the sac is like a pimple) - not only does this not fully empty the glands but it can also cause some damage to the sac itself and sometimes cause problems. You really got to get a finger in there.

My holistic vet will sometimes express Toby's. He has smelly/butt scooting/licking issues. Recently I started adding just a little wheat bran to his diet when I notice the symptoms. Amalie suggested it and it's seemed to help. I know the purpose is to firm up his stools, but even when he was eating Nature's Variety kibble and had very firm stools he had issues. But for some reason, wheat bran seems to be helping thus far!

I tried to avoid ever having them expressed, but it got to the point that he was seriously unhappy about it.

The wheat bran bulks up the stool. Even when they're firm, sometimes they are too small when they come out and don't put much pressure on anything. The wheat bran bulks it up (sorry to get graphic) and so it's bigger and presses the glands as it comes out. Too much will certainly make it too soft to help, and it's not ideal for Luna, as she gets soft stool with grains-- though I suppose I could try oat bran, or extra-extra veggies. Anyway, that's the principle behind it. I do it anytime they scoot, smell like fishy pennies, lick excessively, or leave little spotty presents.

"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

Ahhhhhh, that makes sense! Doh. I never understood why it was working but Nature's Variety didn't work. He had small poops on Nature's Variety, despite them being super firm. I feel like an idiot now. Hahaha, but at any rate, hurray for the wheat bran, as it works with Toby.

ArtGypsy wrote:Dar has had some ..............anal seepage issues this last week.

I was worried that perhaps he was starting to have problems that may be caused by the anal glands.

Glad I read this....

If he is having leakage, **ahem**. ( gross. ) does this mean he doesn't need 'attention' to that area from a vet??

I'm so confused. LOL

what color is the leakage?

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I don't think all dogs would necessarily indicate an issue. Oscar had no indications of an abscess, I noticed a little wetness with a different color and then some swelling. I didn't see any licking or apparent discomfort even. If I had, I would have checked and then expressed them for him!

But sounds like Dar just kind of expressed them slowly a couple of times over a few days...

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Raw feeding has taken care of any potential problems we may have had in our crew. They all crap dry concrete meatballs that express everything on the way out. And I mean *everything*.

I love my dog to death, but I gotta be honest, going knuckle deep where the doody comes out in order to squeeze anal gland juice isn't really what I signed on for.

Demo Dick

"My first priority will be to reinstate the assault weapons ban PERMANENTLY as soon as I take office...I intend to work with Congress on a national no carry law, 1 gun a month purchase limits, and bans on all semi-automatic guns."-Barack Obama"When in doubt, whip it out."-Nuge